The Philadelphia 76ers were about to see their winning streak come to an end on Friday…until Joel Embiid took charge for the umpteenth time.
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The Cameroonian eclipsed his defensive coverage to shoot a spectacular basket with 1.1 seconds left in the encounter, and the ‘Sixers’ beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-119.
The Oregon team, however, led by 20 points, after scoring 71 points in the first half. Adjustments in defense allowed the hosts to turn the corner and win a fourth game in a row.
Embiid, the NBA’s leading scorer this season, had 39 points and seven rebounds, all while not making a field goal from downtown.
James Harden struggled with efficiency, but still came close to a triple-double with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
For the Trail Blazers, Anfernee Simons had his seventh most productive game of his career, with 34 points. Damian Lillard (22 points, 11 assists) and Jerami Grant (24 points, 10 rebounds) had a double-double each.